Comparison of three culture media for isolation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis: a 6-year study

Among 2,648 specimens positive on culture for Mycobacterium tuberculosis over a 6-year period, 82% grew on Lowenstein-Jensen medium (LJ), 79% on American Trudeau Society (ATS), and 56% on Middlebrook 7H10 (7H10). When these commercial culture media were compared in regard to the number of acid-fast bacilli seen on the original smears, LJ cultures were found to have the highest isolation rates for each smear category, and 7H10 had the lowest rates. Comparing the media from the aspect of number of mycobacterial colonies produced, LJ and ATS had the highest average colony counts, followed by 7H10. These findings were relatively constant over the 6-year period. One possible reason for the low positive rate of 7H10 was the lack of CO(2) enrichment.